House of Lords votes in the parliamentary session to date government defeats
Of 42 votes to date, 23 have resulted in government defeats.
16 have been on Lords starter bills (ie, with no scrutiny so far in the Commons) with
Ministers acting in an unusually intransigent way at Committee stage, more often than
refusing to make the type of concessions Peers would expect and over-relying on the future
use of regulations. This has been picked up variously by both The Constitution Committee and
The Delegated Powers and Regulatory Reform Committee.
In addition, there has been 1 defeat related to a Commons starter bill (subsequently
overturned), 5 of the defeats have come on Secondary Legislation (with 3 since adopted by
the government), and 1 on a procedural motion (led by a Crossbencher).
Those 16 defeats on Lords starters:
Cities & Local Government Devolution Bill (13, 15 & 21 July) 6 defeats
Requiring annual report to allow tracking of devolution.
Requiring ministerial statement before every bill to declare compatibility with
principle that powers should be devolved to the most appropriate local level.
Clarity over mayoral model and conditions for agreeing transfer of local authority or
public authority functions.
Gives 16/17 year olds right to vote in local government elections.
Allows authorities with a mayoral model to reverse change of governance, executive
arrangements, or referendum following petition.
Ensures Health Secretary accountability over devolved health services to prevent
devolution of regulatory or supervisory functions vested in national bodies; and
ensure transferred functions adhere to service standards.
Psychoactive Substances Bill (14 July) 1 defeat
Makes offences in the Bill have aggravating factor in relation to prisons and prisoners.
Charities Bill (20 July) 1 defeat
Reaffirms that independent charities may not dispose of assets if against guiding
principle of charity, as set out within trust deed.
Childcare Bill (14 October) 3 defeats
Sunrise clause: until funding review complete to prevent the Bill from coming into
force until the conclusions have been published.
Requires regulations to ensure flexibility for parents outside Monday to Friday from
9am to 5pm; and during school holidays.
Regulations to be affirmative resolution requiring SIs under the Act to have enhanced
parliamentary scrutiny; as so little information given during passage of the Bill.
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16 December, 2015
Energy Bill (19 & 21 October) 3 defeats
To widen objectives of the Oil and Gas Authority to include oversight of
decommissioning of infrastructure, and its use for transportation and storage of
greenhouse gases; and for a review after one year rather than three.
Delete clause to prevent Government bringing forward closure of onshore wind
renewables obligation; and ensure investors get their previous offer. (Conservative
broken election promise.)
To help secure investor confidence in power sector decarbonisation by introducing a
simple change to how carbon budgets are calculated counting actual emissions
instead of those after trading, creating a much more certain investment framework.
Enterprise Bill (30 October) 2 defeats
Ensures environmental objectives of UK Green Investment Bank are specified in
articles of association, and requires directors to review actions against objectives.
Requires pub-owning businesses to offer market rent only option to tied pub tenants,
and rent assessments.
The 1 defeat on a Commons starter:
European Union Referendum Bill (18 November) 1 defeat
To extend franchise on referendum includes 16/17-year-olds. (Since overturned.)
Plus 5 defeats on Secondary Legislation:
Universal Credit Regulations (13 July) 1 defeat
Regret motion to delay enactment of regulations until full roll out of UC. (ie, with no
negative effect.)
Criminal Courts Charges Regulations (14 October) 1 defeat
Regret motion critical of fixed fines. (With an effect, but Gove subsequently
announced overhaul.)
Tax Credits SI (26 October) 2 defeats
Crossbench Motion to delay pending response to IFS Report
Motion to delay pending consultation and report to Parliament on a scheme for full
transitional protection for three years; and response to IFS report (as above).
(Osborne announced rethink at Spending Review.)
Electoral Registration and Administration Regulations (27 October) 1 defeat
Amendment to LibDem fatal motion to outline reason for rejecting SI, as going against
Electoral Commission advice. (Government won vote on amended fatal.)
And 1 defeat on a procedural Motion:
EVEL (21 July) 1 defeat
Crossbench led motion to establish joint committee of both Houses to examine
constitutional implications of Governments EVEL proposals for the Commons.
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16 December, 2015
